Editorial Policy
Purpose of this page
This policy explains how we create and maintain trustworthy content for readers and predictable, brand-safe context for advertisers. It applies to everything we publish under the VegOut name, including the magazine, the website, the YouTube channel, and our newsletters.
1. Principles
People first. Practical, useful content that respects the reader.
Accuracy. Claims must be supportable. We prefer primary sources.
Clarity. Headlines invite curiosity without exaggeration.
Independence. Editorial decisions are separate from advertising.
Conscious living as our editorial frame. Every piece we publish, regardless of pillar, is written through a single editorial lens: how does this help a reader live, eat, or think more carefully? Pieces that cannot answer that question do not fit VegOut and we do not publish them.
2. What we cover
VegOut publishes across three editorial pillars, united by the philosophy of conscious living we describe on our About page.
Eat Better. Food and the systems behind it. Recipes, food culture, food industry investigation, the science of what we eat. This pillar is rooted in our plant-based history since 2016.
Live Lighter. Sustainability, sustainable fashion and textiles, lighter-footprint travel and place, anti-consumption.
Think Deeper. Psychology, behavior, ethics, philosophy. The interior side of how people live consciously.
We do not publish content that is hateful, harassing, or discriminatory. We do not publish content that sits outside the three pillars; the editorial frame is a constraint we apply at the assignment stage, not a label we add at the publish stage.
3. Editorial process
Stories are pitched, assigned, and edited by our editorial team. The magazine is edited issue by issue. Online pieces are commissioned to a column or to the editorial team. Every piece is read by an editor before publication, regardless of byline. Sensitive topics, such as nutrition claims, food-industry investigation, and personal-experience essays, receive an additional review.
4. Sourcing and fact-checking
We prefer primary research, government data, peer-reviewed studies, and reputable organizations. Health and nutrition pieces are written or reviewed by writers trained to interpret research. We avoid medical claims and include appropriate disclaimers. We link to sources and name experts where relevant.
For food industry investigation in particular, we identify our sources by name and link to source documents where possible.
5. Corrections and updates
Corrections are dated and noted on the page. We update or review content regularly. Pages display either the update date or a note that the content has been reviewed and remains current.
6. Reviews and recommendations
Reviews reflect honest opinions based on real use or thorough evaluation. If we receive a product sample or comped experience, we disclose this. Affiliate links may appear; we disclose that VegOut may earn a commission at no cost to readers. Affiliate relationships do not influence verdicts.
7. Sponsored content
Sponsored posts are labeled clearly at the top and within the body. Sponsors do not approve or edit our independent editorial content. We do not publish advertorials that look like editorial without labels.
8. AI use
We use AI tools as part of our publishing workflow. AI assists with research, source discovery, drafting, fact-checking support, and post-publication quality audits including broken-link scans and source verification.
Human editors review, fact-check, and approve all content prior to publication. The editors responsible for this work, along with their backgrounds, are listed on our Masthead.
AI does not make editorial decisions. It does not choose what we cover, what angle a story takes, or what gets published. Those decisions are made by our editors, and editorial responsibility for accuracy rests with VegOut.
We do not use AI to fabricate quotes, invent sources, or present AI-generated content as first-hand reporting from real individuals.
9. Bylines, column bylines, and the editorial team
VegOut uses three kinds of bylines.
Named-writer bylines. Most of our work is published under the name of the writer who wrote it. Staff writers, contributing writers, and the magazine's editorial team all publish under their own names. The Masthead lists our active 2026 writers and our contributing writers.
Column bylines. Some of our work appears under recurring column bylines. The Live Lighter pillar publishes columns including The Lighter Print, Slow Closet, and Soft Itinerary. The Eat Better pillar publishes columns including Table Notes, The Plate Report, and Kitchen Field. The Think Deeper pillar publishes columns including Inner Practice, Quiet Habits, and The Long View. These columns are house brands operated by VegOut's editorial team. We use this convention because it lets readers know which editorial frame to expect from a piece without attaching every essay to a single named writer. Editorial responsibility for column work rests with VegOut.
VegOut Editorial Team byline. News pieces, magazine companion summaries, and cross-pillar features published collectively by the team appear under "VegOut Editorial Team."
We do not publish pieces under invented personal names presented as real individuals. Where a piece is written by an editorial team member rather than a single named writer, the byline reflects that, either by using a column byline or the VegOut Editorial Team byline.
10. Images and rights
We use original, licensed, or press-approved images. We credit creators when required. Contact us if you believe an image is used in error.
11. Inclusion and safety
We serve a broad audience that includes committed vegans and people who would describe themselves as curiously conscious. We welcome different perspectives. We moderate comments for relevance and safety.
12. Privacy and data
We respect reader privacy and comply with applicable laws. See our Privacy Policy for details on cookies and choices.
13. Accessibility
We aim for clear language, readable type, and descriptive alt text where possible.
14. Conflicts of interest
Writers and editors avoid assignments where personal or financial interests could influence coverage. Any necessary disclosures are made on the page.
15. Contact
Questions about this policy or a specific article: [email protected]
Network editorial standards
VegOut is published by Brown Brothers Media. Our standards are part of a broader editorial framework that applies across the Brown Brothers Media network of publications.
As part of adopting this framework, we have reviewed older content on the site and, where it did not reflect our current standards, updated or retired it. We have also updated how authorship is presented and disclosed the AI tools used in our workflow.
For questions, contact [email protected].